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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 7, 2014 - 09:59pm PT
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Geology in Action at our Ranchette in Choss Creek!
12' tall Cat Rock fell over and rolled down to the spring creek sometime in the last couple days. We always thought it was bedrock, and we used to boulder on it.
We last stood on top of it two weeks ago.
What's next?
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mhay
climber
Bishop, CA
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What's next?
Start getting those first ascents.
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fluffy
Trad climber
Colorado
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choss creek huh
sorry for your loss :-/
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RyanD
climber
Squamish
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FA time.
For the second time.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Start getting those first ascents.
But if it's now upside down, won't those be first descents?
This is very confusing.
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ruppell
climber
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I'm with Ghost on this. Is the down climb now an up climb?
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Elcapinyoazz
Social climber
Joshua Tree
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Figure out which side has the most/best lines, get the prybar, come-a-long, and a long piece of timber, flip that sucker how you want it. Then haul about 200 bags of concrete over there, dig out the foundation, pour the 'crete, wrangle her into place and voila!
Or just find another place to boulder?
There are a couple routes I've done where years later the entire thing fell down or pitches of it fell off. Geologic time huh? Not that comforting!
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NutAgain!
Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
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Well, can you just rappel to the top now?
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speelyei
Trad climber
Mohave County Arizona
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WWTWSD?
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Fritz, ya dummy, it is clearly a case of Sasquatch Just Gotta Have Fun!
Look for the video soon!
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 7, 2014 - 10:18pm PT
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Thank you all for your helpfull suggestions! I think I need more wine to fully embrace some of them.
This area was heavily affected by the glacial-era Lake Bonneville flood, when the lake that occupied most of Northern Utah and much of NE Nevada emptied down the Snake River flood plain. The flood did toss rocks like ours around. It is just hard to think about something that big once being an alluvial pebble.
However the new SE Ridge looks easy, if the pebble stays put.
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mechrist
Gym climber
South of Heaven
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yer gonna
Hey, that looks like some pretty serious tufa deposits on one side. Too big to be caliche rind no? How close to the ancient shoreline is/was it? An elevation would give me a rough idea.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Most precarious boulder ever climbed?
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mojede
Trad climber
Butte, America
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Looks like it would work for a dry-tooling practice boulder in it's current shape...
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jgill
Boulder climber
Colorado
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Is that all you have to climb on?
Take up golf.
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NutAgain!
Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
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So do you do it as-is with an R/X rating for potential of getting rolled over, or do you cement the base in place, and get the added bonus of customizing the starting foot-chips and maybe even putting some threaded holes in there to change out the starting holds?
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Edge
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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A rolling stone is worth two in the bush.
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Lorenzo
Trad climber
Oregon
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Down climbing just got easier.
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KP Ariza
climber
SCC
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LOL jgill !! ^^^
Xactly.....
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ruppell
climber
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Is that all you have to climb on?
Take up golf.
Quote of the month award for sure. Considering the source I'll nominate it for quote of the year.
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 7, 2014 - 10:47pm PT
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mechrist: We are downstream a couple hundred miles from Lake Bonneville, and our wandering boulder relates to local lava flows, a one-time Pliocene lake in this area of the Snake River, and then the Lake Bonneville flood rearranging stuff in a major way.
Mike M, re your question: Most precarious boulder ever climbed?
I doubt if it is that unstable, but I am haunted by the memory of a Cadillic-sized outcrop of limestone in 3/4 Couloir on the way up to the Chouinard Route on the North Face of Mt. Fay in Canada about 1979.
My climbing partner Mark hadn’t done enough Canadian climbing to be at ease on wet, loose, steep limestone swept by rock-fall.
Somehow the romance of it all, just didn’t seize his imagination in a positive way.)
Near the top of 3-4 Couloir: the loose, wet limestone blocks finally gave way to a high angle scree slope. At the end of my last lead I suggested un-roping, but without comment Mark continued past me roped-up. Halfway up his scree lead he pounded a piton into a Cadillac-size rock buried in the now gravel like surrounding rock. Fifty feet higher, Mark just flopped down in the gravel and told me, “on belay.”
When I got to Mark’s piton, I removed it. Rather than slog through the steep gravel around the Cadillac-sized rock, I simply stepped up onto the rock. As I stood on the rock, arms akimbo, catching my breath; it suddenly rolled out from under me! I jumped into the air: landing on my feet in the scree, as Mark pulled me up tight with the rope.
Let me repeat myself: the Cadillac-size chunk of rock that we had both assumed was bedrock, or at least damned solid, rolled out from under me like a log in water, when I stood on it!
To make a classic understatement: I’m still glad I removed Mark’s piton, before I climbed up on the rock it was in.
I was so rattled by the near fatal event, I didn’t even enjoy the noise the Cadillac rock made clearing out debris in 3-4 Couloir.
Good thing no one was below us.
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Chewybacca
Trad climber
Montana, Whitefish
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I think I feel a fever comin' on, Gold Fever that is...
Break out the gold pan, the wandering boulder may have revealed the mother lode.
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 7, 2014 - 11:01pm PT
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Since Jgill asks the very pertinent question and retort!
Is that all you have to climb on?
Take up golf
I do agree! We don't climb much on our ranchette, but
We do have a higher, better, and so-far more stable basalt cliff.
Rocky Point ain't perfect, but it is 200 ft. from our house, and varies from user-friendly 20' high solid bouldering routes, to a more challenging over-hangin face. So far------it has not shown signs of roll-over problems.
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Edge
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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There didn't happen to be any Boy Scout leaders in the area prior to it's tipping, did there?
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 7, 2014 - 11:20pm PT
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Edge! Perhaps the best question so far!
There didn't happen to be any Boy Scout leaders in the area prior to it's tipping, did there?
I do need to post some signs on the boundary of our 5 acre Ranchette.
NO TRESSPASSING! BOY SCOUT LEADERS AND OTHER VARMINTS SHOT ON SIGHT!
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Todd Eastman
climber
Bellingham, WA
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Looks better than the Gendarme at Seneca after it danced with gravity...
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Looks like a turd. A nice turd tho...
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madbolter1
Big Wall climber
Denver, CO
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We last stood on top of it two weeks ago.
What's next?
ROFL....
Okay, first, yeah, sorry for your loss. But....
"What's next?" Well, I suggest that you start with assuming whatever position of worship is appropriate for your chosen "higher power" and then begin offering long and profuse thanks! For your lives, that is. If a sense of gratitude is not immediately forthcoming, you should be able to arouse that sense by imagining the sensations produced by being "rolled."
Next, see if you get any impressions that you owe the "higher power" any sacrifices of thanks. You almost certainly WILL get such impressions, particularly if your imagination of being "rolled" was vivid.
Your left nut might be in order, or perhaps a goat. If you get any such impressions, I would certainly follow through on them. This is not the time to skimp and thereby piss off an entity that might not be so kind to you next time.
While you're contemplating whether or not to sacrifice your left nut on a vague impression, again bring up a vivid picture of yourself being "rolled" by that boulder, which didn't happen almost certainly due to the intervention of the "higher power."
Then, DO what you've gotta do.
Finally, do some double and triple checks of the monster in its current position to determine if further rollage might be upcoming, as you might want to offer some preemptive sacrifices if such rollage looks even remotely possible. Perhaps your right nut. Gotta take such things seriously, after all.
Now, with (likely) only 1/3 of your cluster remaining, you'll likely be thinking (and feeling) much differently than you do now, and you might not even give a rip about that boulder anymore.
If, however, you still do give a rip at this point, I suggest dynamite as a logical next step toward reorienting the mass along your preferred axis.
You asked "What's next?" So, I've done what I can to be helpful. I hope I have been!
Cheers!
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Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
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Fritz.
The traverse from the SE Ridge around the Eastern wall to the North wall looks promising. You need to dig a hole in the ground under the overhanging Eastern wall. You have left a chalk mark close to the Eastern part of the summit. I think that's where you'll find the crux section.
And the North Wall should be a thrill given the deep water soloing.
Is there something sacred about the place?
Is the chalk mark poff?
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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You may recall---at one time "Hot Henry" Barber advocated inverted, or "upside down" climbing?
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martygarrison
Trad climber
Washington DC
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Looks like something Munge would climb
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phylp
Trad climber
Millbrae, CA
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You people are all so darn cute...
and funny.
Glad you weren't on the downside of that boulder when it went, Fritz!
xoxo Phyl
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fluffy
Trad climber
Colorado
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Great pic NZskier! Right through the fuggin back door.
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 8, 2014 - 01:47pm PT
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I have carefully read & contemplated the suggestions made up-thread.
It looks like my old climbing-pal Stein is going to cooperate in a 1st ascent of newly named TAC Rock (upside down CAT Rock). I offered to handle the difficult and dangerous job of belaying the leader. I will be well upslope, tied off safely to a large Sagebrush, & will be using the "Modified Austrian Death-Route Belay", where, the rope is all in front of me, and not connected to a harness, or my body. It is "perfectly-safe" in many conditions, especially for the belayer.
RE suggestions that the local powers need to be proprieted. There may well be something out of balance. A big chunk of a Spruce tree blew onto our garage a couple weeks back, then this rock thing happens.
Water is running downhill at the ranchette. No unusual animal or bird behavior. Maybe I need to slip into my Shaman mode & sit down and have some wine again with the guardian Inukshuks. They have obviously failed in their watchfulness.
It makes me proud of my fellow ST pundits, when folks pull together as a community like this! Keep the helpful advice coming!
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Doing the HOT Henry thing, start at the top and climb the routes down...headfirst, of course. After several bottles of fine Columbia River Cabernet, it'll seem completely natural. Go have some wine and think about it, Fritz! ;)
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pyro
Big Wall climber
Calabasas
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Pour some white gas on it, New Year's Eve, light it up, take pics and post here
who's the pyro!!!
sorry about the boulder falling over!
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 9, 2014 - 12:23pm PT
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Took some more photos yesterday.
This one from the base of our spring creek waterfall shows the wayward boulder looming. Obviously, it can roll a lot more if the large pieces of alluvial rock under it collapse. The spring creek goes underground for about 20 feet and emerges to form the waterfall, so the ground is certainly porous just below the boulder.
This photo from above shows where it broke away and the path of squished sagebrush left behind.
What to do? and where should we climb it for the first ascent?
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Come on Fritz....get on the job! You and Heidi have a unique trundling opportunity.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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hey there say, fritz... fun share, as to seeing old things from a new angle, ;)
nice pics, too... :)
of the before and after, :)
wow, wonder if it will ever, change position again, and show yet another
'thus far hidden facet' ;)
edit:
wow, saw the newer pics:
must add:
LOVELY photos... not just nice... :)
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madbolter1
Big Wall climber
Denver, CO
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That thing is not done rolling until it reaches the sea.
Repeat after me: left nut, right nut, perhaps a goat, and THEN proceed to climb (from top down, of course).
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 9, 2014 - 08:29pm PT
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Heidi & I were just out at the boulder picking Asaragus along the creek. We walked around it, and really wondered what is holding it in place. It bounced into one rock at the bottom of its fall, made some impact marks, then rocked back 1". I darn near stepped up the easy backside, then remembered the old adage: "If you're about to do something that could kill you, be sure to have a photographer along!"
Every-time I look at this photo, the theme music for Jaws starts up.
Testicles or a goat for propriation eh!
Bonfires, Red wine, and Inukshuk fun --------is as far as I'm going------so far.
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madbolter1
Big Wall climber
Denver, CO
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Apr 10, 2014 - 02:15am PT
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Bonfires, Red wine, and Inukshuk fun --------is as far as I'm going------so far.
That just might get it done.
Of course, you won't know for sure that it wasn't sufficient until you're having that sensation of being rolled.
If you really value your life, especially given that Jaws theme running through your mind, well, let me ask it this way: Would you rap from a sun-dried, ratty old sling just because you didn't want to waste a new sling of your own?
Do you really NEED two nuts? Speaking for myself at least, at my age my nuts are gettin' pretty equivalent to ratty old slings. So the analogy would really be more like backing up a ratty old sling with another ratty old sling that I had no real use for. Can't speak for you, of course.
Here's hopin' that you draw the line in the right place. :-)
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 16, 2014 - 08:09pm PT
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SUNNYBEACHES!
CMAC picked this thread for his SUPERTOPO CLIMBING NEWS weekly roundup of best picks.
Ladies, and Gentlemen, and the rest of you folks!
I am truly honored!
Life goes on with the upside-down boulder.
The nearby minor earthquakes came after the rollover, and haven't moved it, or anything else on the ranchette.
I consulted the Inukshuks on the subject, but they are silent.
I need to hose that boulder down and climb it in a few spots, now that it appears to be staying put-----for a while.
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Spider Savage
Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
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Apr 16, 2014 - 08:55pm PT
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Fritz, Yay. You made the news bulletin.
Hey, Maybe you can file a claim with FEMA and they'll tip it back up for you?
OOO! Another idea. We could have a pre-geeserfest meet on Saturday & Sunday at your place. It would be like Woodstock, only with Pinot Noir instead of LSD. Hope you don't mind if we all use the toilet in the house. We could get 3 or 4 TRs on Rocky Point (how many of those are there in Idaho now?) and do a bouldering comp on the tip-over. Since I'm like the youngest of the geezers I'm sure to win. Oh wait, I forgot about Donini. Never mind.
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 16, 2014 - 11:07pm PT
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Spider! Heidi and I are OK with the pre COR meeting for those coming from the west.
We do actually have two flush toilets, but we also have 5 acres to have outside pee in.
Lots of lawn for camping, but only a little rock.
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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Apr 16, 2014 - 11:44pm PT
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Fritz...Quit dicking around...Get out...Leave...That was just a taste of what's to come when Borah unleashes her furry....How's the cats..?
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MH2
climber
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Apr 17, 2014 - 12:25am PT
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Your boulder would look good next to that one in Africa that slid down a muddy hillside, but too bad the Smithsonian Center for Short-Lived Phenomena is gone.
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Apr 17, 2014 - 12:28am PT
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Of course he chose your Topic for inclusion in the newsletter:
The grounds of your "ranchette" remind one of San Simeon on the California central coast!
"All climbers live in vans," right?
"All rich folk put out Greek statuary on their lawns," right?
"All boulders run to the sea," right?
"All old climbers are over the hill," right?
"Rong is always right," right? (Sorry, just had to...)
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mountain
Trad climber
Paris France'
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Apr 17, 2014 - 04:47am PT
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Wondering ..!! no one under !!
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 17, 2014 - 10:35am PT
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Thank you again to all you posteurs for your advice and or sympathy.
Re. Mountains comment: Wondering ..!! no one under !!
The only possibly missing being in the area is a well known on ST Rubber Chicken, that may have caused the rollover doing agressive beaking on the boulder.
Mouse! San Simeon eh. Snort!
This place does have its moments
When the wind isn't blowing hard, full of dust, or nearby fires aren't threatening.
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Spider Savage
Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
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Apr 19, 2014 - 10:01am PT
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Yes, it does have it's moments.
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Apr 19, 2014 - 10:07am PT
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Hearst's mama called San Simeon "roughing it."
You guys are toughing it out with the calamities here lately up there.
I hope your wine cellar is up to the troubles...
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| Messages 1 - 53 of total 53 in this topic |
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